Deshawnay Yoakum, an 18-year-old senior at Englewood High School in Chicago, Illinois, was fatally shot on March 1, 2023, in the Bronzeville neighborhood. The incident occurred in the 4500 block of South Drexel Boulevard. Yoakum was shot when she was 17 years old and spent several days in the hospital before succumbing to her injuries on March 11, 2023.
Yoakum was an active member of her community, having performed in the Bud Billiken Parade for the past six years.
At the time of the shooting, she was preparing for her upcoming prom and graduation.
The shooting led to a significant emotional impact on her family, particularly her mother, who pleaded for answers and for someone to come forward with information about the incident. Initially, no arrests were made in connection with the shooting.
However, subsequent investigations led to the arrest and charging of Steven Goodman, 37, with first-degree murder in connection with Yoakum's death. Goodman is accused of being the perpetrator of the shooting that took Yoakum's life.
Yoakum's death was also marked by a tragic connection to another violent incident; her boyfriend, Tyshon Johnson, was killed a few months later in a separate shooting in the Washington Park area. Johnson was attempting to break up a fight when he was shot and killed.
